So, you want to learn the Arabic language? If you’re a native English speaker, this can be quite a difficult task. Arabic is widely considered as one of the toughest languages for English speakers to master, but it certainly has its perks. It has a non-Latin alphabet, a right-to-left writing and reading system, and it excludes a lot of vowels from words. Add all of that on top of eight total dialects, and you suddenly find yourself facing a seemingly overwhelming test. One that may seem almost impossible without some helpful hacks.
Fortunately, you’re not alone in wanting to learn Arabic. Many have taken the task to learn and have succeeded. You can, too. This article is written to inform you of the top five Arabic language learning hacks worth knowing before you start your own language learning journey.
- Create A Study Schedule And Set Some Goals
- Don’t Write Down Every Single Word You Hear!
- Learn The Practical Words First
- Find A Language Partner
- Make It Fun
Create A Study Schedule And Set Some Goals
Many language learners are unorganised. Before you even attempt to read an Arabic word, it’s always a good idea to set some goals for yourself. Goals give you motivation and something to strive for. Creating a schedule allows you to free up time to study consistently. Don’t push yourself over the limit by spending countless hours a day, as your mind won’t be able to process all the information. Rather, break it down to half an hour a day but be sure to keep it up and stay consistent.
Don’t Write Down Every Single Word You Hear!
When writing down new words in your vocabulary diary, don’t forget there’s a limit to how many words your mind can actually take in. There is a difference between writing something down once and actually learning it. And if you have pages and pages of words because you have written every single thing down, the odds of you finding the motivation to sit down and review them at all are pretty slim. In fact, there is no need to write down each word you hear because you can find it in a dictionary!
When you come across a new word and go to write it down, stop and think: Am I likely to come across it again? Is this really useful for me? Is it relevant to my subject or my area of expertise? Is it even in the right dialect for me? In other words, are you actually going to use that word? Be perceptive and don’t make overwhelming lists of obscure or context-specific language that you’ll probably never use again. Concentrate on the words that will make the biggest difference for you.
Learn The Practical Words First
Learning a new language requires learning a lot of new words. However, you don’t need to know all or even the majority of the words in a language to be able to speak it well. In fact, you don’t even need to know half! We don’t even use the majority of our active vocabulary on a daily basis, and only need about 3,000 words to understand 95% of common texts. 300 words make up 65% of all written and spoken materials. That means there are approximately 625 words and their forms that can help you to go beyond a beginner level, and 1,500 that can have you communicating at an advanced level.
So what does that mean for you as an Arabic learner? By learning the practical words first, you can cut your work in less than half. You will be able to communicate faster and with substantially less effort.
Find A Language Partner
One of the best ways to learn any language is to learn from a native speaker of that language. This is especially true with Arabic. Learning from a native Arabic speaker gives you deeper insight into idioms, colloquialisms, and subtle pronunciations. This is also the best way to improve your conversation skills. It will help you gain fluency even faster and increase confidence while speaking.
Today’s world of technology allows you to achieve this hack easier than ever before. Get connected with a native Arabic language tutor from Learn&Co who specialises in teaching you the language in the most effective and efficient ways.
Make It Fun
One of the best tips you can follow when learning Arabic is to interact with the language in one way or another every day. If you learn how to make your study time enjoyable, chances are you will be more inclined to study. Watch an Arabian TV show with subtitles, or listen to some Arabic music, or read passages from Arabic texts or magazines. While these things do not directly teach grammar, they do help learning it significantly. The more you expose yourself to the language, the more you will find yourself recognising vocabulary and phrases. This is a great way to build up your fluency, one word at a time.
There is no magical way to learn a new language overnight, but taking on these Arabic language learning hacks can really help your learning process. Remember, if you’re interested in getting on the fast-track to fluency, then get yourself an experienced Arabic tutor from Learn&Co that can support your language journey from beginning until you’re fluent.
